What is Hybrid Remote Work? Popular Types & Models

The old "everyone in the office, every day" model is driving the best talents away. While companies are paying $11,000 extra per employee just to maintain full office setups, 48% of them say they’ll quit if they can’t have the option to work from home.

So, the finest people are choosing competitors who offer more flexibility.

But going fully remote isn't the answer either. Teams lose connection, collaboration suffers, and company culture dies.

The solution is a work model that gives people the best of both worlds. Enter the hybrid remote work, which cuts costs while increasing employee satisfaction by 76%.

If you’re still confused about what this is, this article will help you understand the ins and outs of hybrid remote work.

In this article

• The true meaning of hybrid remote work
• Popular hybrid remote work models
• Hybrid remote work advantages
• How to overcome the challenges
• Create a hybrid remote work schedule

What Does Hybrid-Remote Mean?

Hybrid-remote means employees split their working time between remote (home/anywhere) and an employer’s office. It’s neither fully remote nor fully on-site.

According to Gallup, hybrid employees are those who work from home or a remote location 10% to less than 100% of the time, while on-site employees work from home or a remote location 0% to less than 10% of the time.

Common setups of hybrid-remote working models:

• Fixed schedule: e.g., office Tue–Thu, remote Mon & Fri.
• Flexible days: team or manager chooses which days are in-office.
• Role/team-based: some roles are mostly remote; others come in more often.
• Location-bounded remote: you work remotely but must live within commuting distance for required office days.

So, hybrid-remote typically implies regular in-person collaboration alongside remote work. The hybrid-remote policies usually state minimum office days, eligible locations, and core hours. And hiring often targets candidates within a region so they can come to the office when needed.

Learn more about:
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What Does Remote Work Mean
Hybrid Working Model Examples

Hybrid remote vs. traditional remote

What are the Types of Hybrid-Remote Work Models?

Here are the common types of hybrid remote work models:

Flexible Hybrid-Remote Model

The flexible hybrid-remote model gives employees maximum autonomy to decide when to work from the office and when to work remotely. This is completely based on employee preference and work requirements.

Companies that use the Flexible Hybrid-Remote Model

Adobe

Chief People Officer Gloria Chen announced that Adobe allows its employees to decide which days they want to work in the office, as it makes sense for them.

Microsoft

Under Microsoft’s hybrid work policy, employees can choose how they'd prefer working, whether that's at home or in the office. Employees can also talk to their managers about the work hours that would best fit them.

Airbnb

Airbnb is at the forefront of the fully autonomous hybrid-remote model. The CEO, Brian Chesky, permits his employees to work from anywhere. But they need to come into the San Francisco office for 1 week every month.

Fixed Hybrid-Remote Model

In this model, companies set specific days and times when employees work remotely or in the office. This creates predictable schedules with designated in-office days.

The "Minimum Days/Week" model remains the preferred choice for companies. In fact, 74% of companies are adopting this model.

Companies that use Fixed Hybrid-Remote Model

Google

Google told staff that the current model remained in place. However, they emphasized that employees must attend a Google office at least three days per week.

JP Morgan

At JP Morgan, employees must work at the company office three days a week. And they can work from home during the last two work days of the week if they prefer.

Office-first Hybrid-Remote Model

In this model, the office remains the primary work location with remote work offered as an occasional option or benefit. This approach maintains traditional office culture while providing some flexibility.

Companies that Use the Office-first Hybrid-Remote Model

Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs' official corporate policy is "full-time in office". [Source: Yahoo Finance]

Netflix

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has always been against remote work. He told the Wall Street Journal interview that he doesn't "see any positives" to working from home. So, the company strongly follows the office-first hybrid-remote model.

Remote-first Hybrid-Remote Model

In this model, employees work mostly remotely, with occasional or optional office days for collaboration or meetings.

Companies that use the Remote-first Hybrid-Remote Model

Atlassian

Atlassian has moved beyond traditional hybrid models to embrace a "Team Anywhere" approach. This model allows employees to choose where they work, whether from home, an office, or a co-working space. There are no mandated in-office days.

Spotify

Spotify still maintains a WFA (Work From Anywhere) policy after COVID-19. They allow employees to work from home, the office, or anywhere they choose. There's no strict office attendance requirement.

Similar read:
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Work Schedule Types
Flexible Work Schedules

What Factors are Driving the Hybrid-Remote Work Model?

1. Dramatic Shift in Job Market Demand

According to Robert Half's research, hybrid job postings have grown from 9% in Q1 2023 to nearly a quarter (24%) of new jobs at the start of 2025.

Source: Robert Half

2. Strong Employee Preference for Flexibility

Most workers want to split their time between home and office. A Gallup study found that 6 out of 10 people want this hybrid work arrangement.

Another survey by Backlinko asked workers what they prefer:

• 36% want to work from home every day
• 28% want a mix of home and office work
• 27% want to work in the office every day

3. Productivity and Performance Benefits

Over two-thirds of employers say their remote workers get more done.Here are some examples:

• American Express remote workers got 43% more work done than office workers.
• JD Edwards remote workers got 20-25% more work done than office workers.
• Sun Microsystems found that workers used 60% of their saved commute time to do more work for the company.

Source: Global Workplace Analytics

4. Significant Cost Savings for Businesses

Harvard and Stanford did research on hybrid-remote work. They found that businesses can save up to $11,000 each year when they let workers work from home part-time.

Here are real examples:

• IBM cut their building costs by $50 million.
• McKesson saves $2 million every year.
• Washington State saves more than $3 million each year because they need less office space.

Source: Global Workplace Analytics

5. Talent Acquisition and Retention Advantages

Fresh graduates today like to work with freedom and flexibility. So they seek such companies to flourish in their professional career. This significantly drives hybrid remote work forward.

Brian Elliot in MIT Sloan Management Review focused on this saying,

Organizations that take flexible hybrid work approaches will get better access to more talent.

6. Generational and Demographic Preferences

A study by Cisco found that 48% of Gen Z employers think the hybrid-remote work model gets the best results. People between 35 and 44 years old work from home more than any other age group. About 1 in 4 people in this age group work from home at least part of the time.

7. Work-Life Balance and Employee Wellbeing

Most people like hybrid remote work because it helps them balance their job and personal life. A study by OfficeRnD found that 76% of people said this was the biggest benefit. Another study showed that 71% of Americans who work from home agree that it helps them manage both work and their personal time better.

8. Strategic Business Function Flexibility

Nowadays, companies are getting smarter about remote work. Instead of the same rules for everyone, they decide based on the type of work.

You see, some tasks work better in person, like brainstorming and planning. Other, in the meantime, like analyzing data, works better from home.

This helps employees be more productive, saves companies money, and lets them hire talent from anywhere.

9. Technology Infrastructure Maturity

Hybrid-remote work tools have gotten much better by 2025. New video programs can now write down what people say automatically. They can translate different languages instantly. They also create meetings and take notes that feel like a real person.

10. Competitive Response to Return-to-Office Mandates

Recent studies show that requiring workers to return to the office causes companies to lose their best employees. This problem especially affects women because childcare is expensive in the United States.

Further read:
Remote Work Industries
Benefits of Remote Teams
Are Remote Employees More Productive

What are the Benefits of Hybrid-Remote Work?

Increased Productivity

More than 83% of employees report that the hybrid work model has made them more productive (IDC).

The reason is simple: remote hybrid work gives enough flexibility. So employees can schedule work time around their best productive hours. Also, while they are working from home, commute stress is zero. This is an energy booster that reflects in overall work efficiency.

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Increased Job Satisfaction

A company in China studied 1,612 workers for six months. They found that people who worked from home part-time were happier with their jobs. Also, one-third fewer people quit their jobs. [Source: NaturePubMed]

6 out of 10 managers say that remote work makes employees happier and more motivated. This is the biggest benefit they see.

Increased collaboration

In hybrid work, people can use tools like video calls and chats to talk with their team from anywhere. This makes it easy for employees in different locations to collaborate flawlessly. As a result, strong bonds are created between them, which speeds up the project completion rate.

Increased opportunities

People can enjoy more diverse career options in hybrid work. For example, they are not just limited to jobs that are close to their homes. As a matter of fact, they can apply in companies that are in other cities or countries.

Now, this helps them find roles that better fit their skills and career goals. Flexibility like this leads to better professional growth and experiences.

Better work-life balance

Workers enjoy more control over their schedules in hybrid work settings. Time saving is the first one that will pop up, to name a few.

The reason?

Well, it's simple. They don't have to commute to work every day.

And this brings perks like more family moments, less stress, and more time for hobbies and recreation. Not to mention the delight of homemade food.

Just so you know, this simple wiggle room in work-life saves employees from burnout.

Optimize When and Where You Work

Working from home and the office lets you do focused work at home and team work at the office. Work during your most productive hours, skip commuting on days you need to concentrate, and use quiet spaces for thinking and office spaces for meetings.

So, you get more done when you match your work to the right place and time.

Reduce Exposure to Illness

When people work from home part of the time, they don't get sick as often. That's because they're not around coworkers who might have colds or the flu.

Since they're not catching these bugs as much, they take fewer sick days and can keep getting their work done. Plus, they just feel healthier overall.

Cost Savings on Office Space and Utilities

Hybrid work saves money on office costs. You can cut costs by up to 40%.
Companies save $10,000 per year per year for each employee who works from home half the time. If employees work from home full-time, companies still save $10,000 per employee each year.

• Big companies have saved millions:
• IBM cut building costs by $50 million.
• Sun Microsystems saves $68 million each year on building costs.
  Nortel saves $100,000 for each employee they don't need to move to a new office.

Source: Global Workplace Analytics

Hire talent across the globe

Hybrid remote work helps companies hire better people. When employees can work from home, companies can hire talented workers from anywhere in the world. They don't have to limit themselves to people who live nearby.

A study found that 64% of hiring managers say offering work-from-home options makes it easier to find good employees. This policy attracts high-quality workers who want flexible work arrangements.

Enhanced Innovation and Creativity

Hybrid and remote work boosts creativity in two main ways. First, companies can hire talented people from anywhere.

Second, working apart helps people think independently instead of just following the group. The mix of quiet focus time and planned teamwork often creates better ideas than traditional office work.

Improved environmental impact and sustainability

Workers who work from home 2-4 days each week due to a hybrid remote schedule can help the environment. They can cut their carbon pollution by 11% to 29%. This happens because they drive less to the office. Less driving means fewer cars on the road and less gas being burned. This creates less harmful pollution that damages our planet.

Greater Resilience to Disruptions

Companies that use hybrid and remote work can keep running even when problems arise. Since workers already know how to work from different places and use digital tools, teams can keep working normally during office shutdowns, bad weather, or travel problems.

This is much better than old-style office jobs where everyone has to be in the same building. Because if something goes wrong there, work stops completely.

Disadvantages of hybrid-remote

Coordination and communication issues

Gallup did a study on people who work both from home and in the office. They found that about 1 in 4 of these workers had problems. These workers struggled to stay close to their coworkers. They also had trouble working well with other teams in their company.

Fewer career and development opportunities

The Wall Street Journal studied 2 million office workers. They found that people with a hybrid-remote work schedule get promoted 31% less often than people who work in the office full-time.

And workers who are fully remote (work from home all the time) are 35% more likely to lose their jobs than people who work in the office or have a mixed schedule.

In other words, working from home might hurt your chances of getting promoted or keeping your job.

Technology investments

84% of employees think having good internet and tech setup is really important for hybrid-remote work. But about one in three workers (32%) don't think their company has the right tech tools in place yet. [Source: Cisco]

Cybersecurity risks

Most business owners are worried about cyber attacks when their employees work from home or split time between home and office. In fact, 7 out of 10 business owners have these concerns.

Even more concerning, 1 in 5 companies have already been hacked because of security issues with remote workers.

Explore further:
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Demands for overperformance

Fully remote and hybrid-remote workers are 1.3 times more likely to feel insecure about their job compared to those who work in the office full-time.

Remote workers face several tough challenges. They often work harder and put in longer hours. It's easy to get distracted at home, and many struggle with health problems from sitting too much or not having a proper workspace.

A culture built around the in-office experience

Workers used to have just one workplace. Now they have two - the office and home. This makes things tricky.

With hybrid-remote work, people don't have a steady routine anymore. They're always switching back and forth between different rules and ways of doing things. One day they're at home, the next day they're in the office. Each place has its own setup and policies to follow.

This constant switching can be pretty overwhelming.

Overcoming the hybrid-remote model’s problems

1. Communication & Collaboration Breakdown

The Problem

When some people work from home and others work in the office, communication gets tricky.

The biggest issue?

Hybrid-remote workers often miss out on quick chats and conversations that happen naturally in the office.

The Solution

Use the 70-25-5 Rule:

Here's what works best for most companies:

• 70% of your communication should be written (like Slack messages, shared documents, or project updates).
• 25% should be live video calls or phone meetings.
• 5% should be face-to-face meetings a few times a year for team bonding.

Mix Different Ways to Communicate:

For real-time tasks like brainstorming or presentations, use video calls. And for everything else, use written tools like messaging apps, shared documents, and project management platforms.

This way, everyone stays in the loop whether they're working from home or in the office.

2. Leadership and Management Challenges

The Problem

Most hybrid-remote workers are figuring things out on their own. 80% haven't gotten any training on how to work well in a hybrid setup. And it's not just the workers; 73% of managers and senior leaders don't know how to lead hybrid teams either.

The Solution

Focus on Results, Not Hours:

Stop watching the clock and start looking at what people actually get done. It doesn't matter if someone works from their desk for 8 hours or finishes everything in 6 hours from home. What matters is the quality and quantity of their output.

Make It Safe to Speak Up:

Create a workplace where people feel comfortable being honest. They should be able to talk about what's not working, share their worries, and admit when they're struggling. When people feel safe to speak up, problems get solved faster and teams work better together.

3. Performance Measurement & Productivity Tracking

The Problem

Old ways of measuring work don't work well for a hybrid-remote work model. It's hard to know if people are actually being productive.

The Solution

Track What Really Matters:

The best hybrid-remote companies don't just look at one thing. They measure three key areas for every employee:

• How well you do your own work
• How well you work with your team
• How well you serve customers

This works whether you're in the office or working from home.

Set Clear Goals:

Use SMART goals - that means goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Then track these things:

• Do employees' daily tasks actually help the company reach its bigger goals?
• How much planned work actually gets finished?
• How well do people manage their time?
• Is the company making more money? (That's the ultimate test of productivity)

4. Technology and Infrastructure Issues

The Problem

Technology challenges make hybrid-remote work a lot harder. Maybe your internet is slow, or your computer keeps freezing. When these tech problems happen, your team can't talk to each other properly. And if you can't communicate well, work suffers.

The Solution

Get better collaboration tools. Good technology makes all the difference when your team works from different places. Here's what you should consider:

• Use cloud-based project management tools like ClickUp or Jira to keep track of tasks. You can integrate these tools with Apploye and get a complete employee monitoring and productivity tracking system.
• Try real-time collaboration platforms like Google Workspace so everyone can work on documents together.

The key is investing in technology that brings your hybrid-remote team together instead of holding them back.

5. Employee Engagement and Culture Building

The Problem

Most managers (68%) say it's really hard to keep their teams connected when people work from different places. And about 1 in 4 managers (26%) say their employees get burned out and stop caring about work in hybrid-remote setups.

The Solution

Build Better Team Connections:

When your team works in a hybrid-remote setting, you have to work harder to help people trust and like each other. Try fun activities like:

• Online games
• Virtual happy hours
• Team challenges
• Mentorship programs

Help People Balance Work and Life:

Make sure your team members can actually disconnect from work. Encourage them to set clear start and stop times for their workday and take breaks.

Building a good hybrid-remote culture takes extra effort. Celebrate wins, help people work together, and make sure they're not working all the time. When you do this on purpose, it makes a big difference.

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What to consider when going hybrid-remote

1. Employee Preferences and Productivity

Understanding Employee Expectations

Backlinko asked people where they like to work. Here's what they told us:

• 36% want to work from home every day
• 28% prefer a mix of home and office (hybrid)
• 27% want to be in the office every day

These numbers change depending on who you ask and what job they do.

What Happens If You Take Away Remote Work?

If companies forced hybrid and remote workers back to the office full-time, here's what would happen:

• 29% would want more money to make up for it
• 31% would start looking for a different job
• 6% would just quit

Source: Owl Labs

In the end, most people really value the option to work from home, and they're willing to make big changes if they lose that flexibility

2. Technology Infrastructure and Security

Technology You Need for Hybrid-Remote Work

When people work both from home and the office, companies need better technology to make it work. Microsoft found that since 2019, people have been using collaboration tools like video calls and shared documents 62% more than before. This helps remote workers and office workers stay connected.

Cybersecurity Implications

Hybrid-remote work creates new security risks. Home internet connections aren't as secure as office networks. People use their personal laptops and phones for work. Companies also rely more on cloud storage and online services. These changes make it harder to follow data privacy rules and keep information safe.

So, organizations must invest in secure access service edge (SASE) technologies and comprehensive security training for distributed workforces.

3. Managerial Challenges and Solutions

The Manager's Evolving Role

When companies switched to hybrid-remote work, managers had a tough time. They got more work to do and had to communicate way more than before. But when managers do their job well, it really makes a difference.

For example, at Microsoft, employees whose managers helped them figure out what to work on first were 2.5 times more likely to stay productive and keep a good work-life balance. That's compared to employees whose managers didn't help them prioritize.

What can Managers do to Manage Hybrid-Remote Teams Well?

Companies should focus on these things:

• Have regular one-on-one meetings with each team member (this actually helps people work fewer hours each week)
• Set up clear rules for how everyone communicates
• Focus on results, not just how many hours people work
• Make sure remote workers feel included in meetings

4. Workplace Design and Space Utilization

Rethinking Office Space for Hybrid-Remote Work

When you have employees working both from home and in the office, you need to think differently about your physical workspace.

Set up a clear schedule. Create a standard policy for your hybrid-remote team. For example, people come to the office 2-3 days per week and work from home 2-3 days per week.

Also, make sure everyone connects without any issues. Pick certain hours each day or week when all employees need to be available online. This way, everyone can collaborate even when they're not in the same place.

5. Inclusion and Equity Concerns

Addressing Proximity Bias

Proximity bias is still a problem at work, but it's getting better. This happens when managers think office workers are better than remote workers.

Last year, 55% of people said their managers viewed office workers as harder working and more trustworthy. That's actually an improvement - in 2023, it was 63%.

So while this unfair treatment still exists, fewer people are experiencing it now.

6. Financial Considerations and Cost Savings

Quantifying the Benefits

A study from Harvard and Stanford found that when companies switch to a hybrid-remote work model, where employees split their time between working from home and coming into the office, they can save around $11,000 per year on average.

Businesses save on things like office space, utilities, and other overhead costs when fewer people are in the office every day.

Meanwhile, employees get more flexibility in how they work. Hybrid-remote schedule is a win-win situation that many companies are starting to embrace.

7. Change Management and Implementation Strategy

Phased Implementation Approach

A good change management plan helps employees adjust to working from home and the office. It reduces pushback from workers and addresses their worries. This keeps productivity steady and helps the new hybrid-remote work setup succeed in the long run.

8. Future Trends and Considerations

Long-term Outlook

Most CEOs think their hybrid-remote workers will come back to the office full-time by 2027. A new KPMG survey shows that 8 out of 10 CEOs believe this will happen. That's a big jump from earlier this year, when only about 3 out of 10 CEOs thought so.

But employees still want flexibility. They're not eager to give up their hybrid work arrangements.

What Different Regions Want:

• North America: People prefer working in the office
• Western Europe: Hybrid work is the favorite
• Asia-Pacific: More people want to work remotely

Countries That Love Remote Work Most:

• Indonesia: 93% of people want it
• India: 88% prefer remote work
• Switzerland: 86% are in favor of it

So while CEOs are expecting everyone back at their desks, workers around the world are not eager; they want to keep their hybrid-remote schedule options.

How to create a hybrid-remote work schedule?

Here’s a step-by-step framework for creating a hybrid-remote work schedule:

Phase 1: Assessment and Planning

1. Analyze Your Workforce Needs

• Survey employees on preferences
• Identify roles suitable for remote work
• Map collaboration requirements by team/function

2. Define Your "Deal"

Establish clear parameters:

• Which days require office presence
• Flexibility boundaries
• Performance expectations
• Technology requirements

Phase 2: Choose Your Hybrid-Remote Model Type

1. Fixed Hybrid-Remote Schedule (Cohort Model)

This is the most organized way to do hybrid-remote work. Your manager or company sets one schedule, and everyone follows it.

Let's say your company decides that everyone works in the office Monday through Wednesday. Then everyone works from home on Thursday and Friday. No exceptions - everyone does the same thing.

This works best for companies that need their teams to work together and want everything to be really clear and organized.

2. Flexible Hybrid-Remote Work Schedule

With flexible hybrid-remote work, there are no strict rules. You can choose to work from home whenever you want. And you can also choose to come into the office whenever you want. It's completely up to you.

3. Function-Based Hybrid-Remote Model

Instead of using the same hybrid-remote rules for everyone, companies should let middle managers decide when their teams need to work together in person and when they can work remotely.

Some companies like Allstate and Cloudflare are already doing this.

4. Split-Week Hybrid-Remote Schedule

With the split-week schedule, you need to work from the office at least one day each week. But different teams can have different arrangements. It depends on how much your team needs to work together in person.

Phase 3: Implementation Tools and Technology

Essential Technology Stack:

• Video conferencing platforms (Microsoft Teams, Zoom)
• Productivity tracking software
• Employee monitoring software
• Employee time tracking tools
• Collaboration tools (Slack, Asana)
• Desk booking systems for flexible office use

For example, Google is now tracking employee attendance. They use badge scanners to track who shows up and when. This kind of employee monitoring is becoming more popular as companies try to manage hybrid-remote work arrangements. [Source: CNBC]

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Tips for implementing a hybrid remote work model

Here are the best implementation tips for hybrid remote work:

1. Define Clear Policies and Communication Guidelines

Want your remote team and in-office team to work well together?

Write down the rules. When everyone knows what's expected, there's less confusion and stress.

This is especially important for remote workers. Put everything in writing so no one has to guess what they should do.

Implementation Steps:

• Set clear rules about when people need to be in the office versus when they can work from home.
• Decide how often team members should check in with each other and how quickly they need to respond to messages.
• Write down what good work looks like, whether someone is working from home or in the office.

2. Invest in the Right Technology Infrastructure

3 out of 4 workers say their company's technology, software, and tools could be better.

And when it comes to working from home, about 7 out of 10 think their company should buy new technology to make remote work easier.

Essential Tools:

• Video Conferencing: Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet
• Project Management: Asana, Trello, ClickUp
• Productivity Tracking: Apploye
• Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams
• Employee Monitoring & Time Tracking: Apploye
• File Sharing: SharePoint, Google Workspace, OneDrive

3. Design Flexible Hybrid-Remote Work Schedules

Most Common Models:

• Structured Hybrid: 37% of US companies now use a structured hybrid approach. That's a big jump from just 20% in 2023.
• Minimum Days Model: When companies use this hybrid-remote model, 74% of them tell employees they must come to the office on certain days.
• Flexible Model: Other companies use a flexible approach. Workers can choose when to come in based on when they need to work together with their team.

4. Create Intentional In-Person Collaboration

Brian Elliott, MIT Sloan Management Review, says,

"Every business function likely has its own key times when being in the same room is more meaningful. For example, the finance team may gather for the monthly and quarterly close of the books. Regional sales teams may have weekly anchor days for practicing pitches".

So, design office days around high-value collaborative activities.

5. Optimize Physical Office Space

Teams that work well together usually sit near each other in the office. When companies have good workplaces, their employees are three times more likely to have quiet spaces where they can focus on their work.

Many companies are saving money by changing how they use office space.

Cisco is a great example. They started using hybrid work (some days in the office, some days at home) and cut their office space in half. This saved them about $500 million.

Neiman Marcus did something similar. They reduced their office space by almost 80%. Instead of having huge offices, they now focus on having smaller, better-designed spaces that work harder for their employees.

The Future of Hybrid Remote Work

1. Finding a Solution to Too Many Meetings

Remote workers go to 50% more meetings than people who work in the office. Because of this, many employees are trying to protect their time. In fact, 58% of workers now block off time on their calendars just to avoid more meetings.

Companies are noticing this problem too. That's why 37% of them have started "no-meeting days" - days when no one is allowed to schedule meetings at all. [Source: Buffer]

2. Increasing Numbers of Fixed Hybrid-Remote Schedules

74% of companies have implemented the "Minimum Days/Week" model for their hybrid-remote work setup.

Brian Elliott from MIT Sloan Management Review says that by 2025, companies focusing on creating hybrid work rules for specific jobs will be more popular with employees.

3. The Changing Role of Office Space

Key Statistics:

According to Cisco's Executive Vice President, “Making the office a magnet means creating experiences that employees value. To achieve this, organizations must embed hybrid work solutions, infused with AI, into office spaces to foster collaborative experiences for everyone.”

A communications agency in London cut its desks from 200 to 100 but kept the same office space. They made creative desk layouts and added breakout areas.

Similarly, Adtrak, a digital marketing agency in Nottingham, reduced its desks from 120 to 70 while keeping about 100 staff members.

4. The Rise of Artificial Intelligence as a Functional Tool for Hybrid Workplaces

Over the next three years, 92 percent of companies plan to increase their AI investments. But while nearly all companies are investing in AI, only 1 percent of leaders call their companies 'mature' on the deployment spectrum. [Source: McKinsey]

5. Organizations that Offer Hybrid Roles will Steal Candidates from Office-Only Companies

Most job seekers want flexibility. About 7 out of 10 people looking for work prefer hybrid arrangements - meaning they can work both from home and the office.

Nearly half of current employees feel strongly about remote work. If their company took away the option to work from home, 48% would actually quit their job.

This creates real problems for companies that force everyone back to the office. Recruiters at these companies say it's much harder to find good people. They get fewer job applications and face more competition from other employers.

On the flip side, companies that let employees choose where they work are doing much better. They're finding it easier to attract talent because people want that flexibility.

Redefine the Meaning of Hybrid Work with Apploye

Apploye makes hybrid work easy by providing managers with a clear view of what's happening, regardless of where people are working.

Works everywhere: Apploye tracks your team's time and work whether they're at home, in the office, or somewhere else. You can see who's working and where in real-time. So, projects keep moving forward, from anywhere.

Easy to switch between places: Apploye allows you to use the same simple system whether you're on your computer, phone, or web browser. This makes automatic continuous time tracking possible, even when you move from place to place. Thus, your tasks and projects stay in sync whether you're at home or at work.

Keeps teams connected: The scheduling tools Apploye offers work for both remote and office workers. Hence, everyone can communicate and get assignments from anywhere. Plus, managers have clear visibility into employee activity and overall project progress.

Freedom with Responsibility: Apploye comes with optional employee monitoring to make sure work gets done without invasive monitoring. This allows employers to keep track of things without being nosy. Consequently, employees enjoy enough freedom yet stay accountable at the same time.

In short, Apploye virtually omits the differences between "remote work" and "office work." It turns the challenge of managing hybrid teams into something that actually gives you an advantage.

FAQs

How do I build a hybrid work culture?

To create a work culture that works for both remote and office employees, ensure everyone gets the same information and opportunities. Set up clear ways for people to communicate and work together, whether they're at home or in the office.

Are hybrid and remote work good or bad for employee engagement?

It goes both ways. Due to more freedom, working from home can make employees happier. But it can also make them feel lonely. And it’s not good for companies as they need to keep people connected while still being flexible.

Does hybrid remote mean work from home?

Hybrid remote work means you work from home and at the office as per schedule. It’s a mix between the two. For example, you work from home two or three days each week. Then you go to the office for the other days.

What is the difference between remote and hybrid vs office?

Remote work means you work from home or anywhere outside the office. Hybrid work, however, means you split time between home and the office. And office work means you go to the workplace every day.

How many days are spent in the office in hybrid remote work?

Hybrid work means splitting time between the office and home — usually 2-3 days in each place per week. Different companies set different rules, while some let employees choose which days to come in.

Can hybrid work be fully remote?

No, hybrid work can't be fully remote. Hybrid means you split time between home and office. If you're always at home, that's just remote work, not hybrid.

How can hybrid-remote work support sustainability?

Working from home part-time helps the environment. People drive less, which directly reduces pollution. Also, companies use smaller offices that need less electricity, and workers can make greener choices at home.

Is hybrid work more productive than fully remote?

Working from home or hybrid work can be just as productive as office work. Typically, success depends on your job type, work style, and manager. However, teamwork benefits from office time, while focused work often works better at home.

Why should companies consider transitioning to fully remote/hybrid models?

Remote and hybrid work let companies hire from anywhere while saving money on office costs. Also, employees are happier with more flexibility, so they work better and stay longer. This gives companies a big advantage by cutting costs and accessing top talent everywhere.